Chance Encounters
by SilentDreamer23
Summary: A retelling of Soulsilver and Heartgold through the eyes of Silver. Expect soulsilvershipping in later chapters. Rated M for language just to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: A new year, a new story. Silver is an interesting character (possibly the best rival IMO) because he is mysterious.  
As stated in the summary this story follows Silver on his quest throughout Johto, mostly focusing on the encounters with the main character, and maybe a little twist here and there.  
End of Rant..._

**I Do Not Own Pokemon or the characters involved**

* * *

**Sowing the Seeds of Revenge**

_"He thinks he can just abandon me. I'll show him. I'll be stronger than he ever was."_  
He wandered through the darkness of the woods. A murder of Murkrows cawing in the distance had no effect on his numbing mind. He was too preoccupied on his next move to worry about anything else.

"Selfish asshole..." he swore aloud. It was well past midnight and nobody else was around to hear him curse.  
That's been the way ever since he was young. No siblings to teach him right from wrong. His mother passed away when he was just a baby. All he had was an absent father hell-bent on world domination instead of caring for his only child.

He traveled for what seemed like days before seeing a tiny glow beyond the thick trees. He stopped right at the edge of a cliff and looked down at the sleepy town of New Bark. Squinting his eyes, he scoped the area looking for a specific building that would be his next stop.  
"There..." he said after locating the target. Shoving his hands into his jacket, he made his way down the steep cliff and into the town.

Night had turned to morning in a flash. By the time he woke up from his nap, the lab was alive with a man running around inside yelling at something to sit still.  
"The next trainer sure is going to have their hands full with you." Professor Elm said to a rowdy blue creature trying to escape his grip.  
He watched on from behind a window. There were three Pokémon running free: the aforementioned blue creature known as Totodile, a green one with a single leaf on its head called Chikorita, and finally a sleepy looking fire Pokémon called Cyndaquil. All three of them would be perfect for his plan to succeed, but all he needed was one.

"Hey there," a sudden voice startled him. He hid behind a bush to make sure the Professor hadn't seen him. He didn't account for passersby, though.  
He turned to face the noisy stranger. The giant hat she wore was the obvious attention getter. It took away all attention from the suspenders and white knee high socks she wore.

"Are you here to see Professor Elm, too?" The cheery tone annoyed him instantly.  
"It's none of your business." He replied harshly.

"Oh. I just thought you might be a new trainer, like me." Her beaming smile was even worse than her shrilling voice.  
"I'm Lyra, by the way." She waved to him as she introduced herself.

He kept quiet, trying to decipher why a complete stranger was making conversation. The entire thing was completely foreign to him so he reacted the only way he knew.  
"I never asked. Why don't you move along and leave me the fuck alone." Lyra's shocked expression let him know that did the job.  
"Okay... See you around, I guess." She walked off and disappeared around the corner of the building.

He returned his attention back to the Professor to set the plan in motion. He would sneak in and take a Pokémon without the Professor's knowledge and be out and running by the time he figured it out. All he needed was a distraction.  
"Look who we have here." He said quietly as a familiar figure came into the picture. Lyra, the very same girl from a while ago, talked to the Professor.

The window was slightly ajar which let him hear what they said. "They're all so cute!" She exclaimed while fawning over the tiny creatures that sat before her.  
_Riiiinggg...Riiinggg..._ The telephone went off somewhere inside the lab.  
"Go ahead and choose one of these Pokémon while I answer that." He instructed.

He watched on as she bent down to examine each of the Pokémon. Both Cyndaquil and Chikorita appeared naturally drawn to her. They rubbed against her legs while she petted them. Totodile kept wandering away from her, distracted by all the lab equipment around it.  
"I wish I could pick all of you." She lamented.  
"Have you chosen yet?" Professor Elm asked, coming back into view.  
"They're all wonderful, but I'm going with this little guy." She picked up Cyndaquil and tickled its cream-colored stomach.  
"Good choice. Listen, I have a little errand for you." Elm continued.

He tuned out to gather his thoughts. If they were to meet again, his Pokémon must be stronger than the one she chose. The only logical pick was Totodile, the water Pokemon.  
Speaking of Totodile, the tiny alligator-esque creature looked directly at him from inside the lab.  
"Toto-totodile!" It jumped up and down, alerting both people to look his way as well.

"Shit..." He ducked down behind the thick shrub. His heart raced in fear of being spotted. He looked through a small opening and didn't see anybody. Crouched, he waddled over to the trees that provided more cover from all sides.

"Come on, Cyndaquil. We have to get to Mr. Pokémon's before it gets dark." Lyra said to her new partner.  
He poked his head around the trunk and spotted her looking at the shrub where he was stationed before.  
"Go on, leave already." He hissed under his breath. As if she heard, she turned and headed off to Route 29 that connected the two towns.

His attention went back to the lab. Through the window he saw the remaining Pokémon napping, the Professor nowhere in sight. He started by scanning his surroundings, making sure nobody else was around.  
"All clear." Next he tiptoed to the side of the building between two large windows, looking through both and seeing a small opening on the left. Off to the right side was Professor Elm with his face inches from a computer screen.

Criminal activity was in his blood. His father was the leader of an evil organization that collected tons of Pokemon and sold half of them for profit. The strongest were kept to do their evil bidding. That's what he wanted; only the strongest to defeat all that opposed him.  
He undid the latch of the window and slowly opened it enough to poke his head through. The Pokémon were still asleep in their little beds. Ever so quietly, he took one step at a time towards his target.

"_Heyy_," He froze in place, closing his eyes and resigning to his fate. The life of crime never yielded good fortune without a couple of consequences.  
"_That's a weird way to drawing Pokémon_."

Lady Luck was smiling down on him today. Without hesitation, he grabbed the napping Totodile and quickly exited the building. He ran and ran until his feet ached. The unsuspecting Pokémon watched as he slowed down and crouched behind another tree.  
"That..was...close..." he huffed.

He released his hold on Totodile. The blue Pokémon simply stared at the stranger who kidnapped it.  
"Alright, listen up." He commanded once his breathing returned to normal.  
"I am your master now. That means you will do what I say when I say it." Totodile stayed quiet.  
"If you don't, I'll have no problem leaving you out here in the woods." He pointed to a large cluster of trees just to the left of where they rested.

"Toto?" It tilted its head in confusion.  
"Got it?" He asked in a firm tone.  
It jumped up and down in response. He couldn't stay mad at the little alligator for long. It was enthusiastic to say the least, and a tad absent-minded, but with proper training it would be a formidable Pokémon.

It had been a while since he was genuinely satisfied. Sure it might have been morally wrong to steal a Pokémon, but patience was never his biggest strength. Besides, rare Pokémon, let alone starters, were nearly impossible to find in the wild.  
"You and I are going to be the strongest team in all of Johto." He said to his new companion.  
He stood up, brushed off some twigs and leaves from his jacket, and looked down at Totodile.

"Everybody who stands in our way will feel my wrath. The wrath of Silver." Silver shoved his hands into his jacket and started walking without alerting Totodile. The water Pokémon quickly followed its new trainer.

A new adventure awaited them as they walked down the dirt road. Nothing would stop him on his quest for vengeance. He would make sure of that.  
"I'm coming for you dad. I'll show you what happens when you cross me."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you for the reviews, first and foremost. Keep 'em coming as that is how a writer stays motivated. If you've read my first story you would know that I took a month (and in some cases two) uploading chapters. With this story, I'm finding it easier to update because I've started to write from my phone. I've already finished Chapter 3 and will start the next chapter soon.  
Technology is fascinating, isn't it?  
_**I Do Not Own Pokémon or the Characters involved**

* * *

**A Lesson in Humility**

"You call that worthless thing a Pokémon? It didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell." He gloated after a lopsided victory against a beginning trainer.  
"You're a monster."

_You have no idea, kid.  
_Silver moved away red strands of hair from his eyes and scoffed at the little boy holding his damaged Rattata. The poor boy was on the verge of tears and no longer paid attention to him. He was never comfortable watching people cry, let alone for a Pokémon that could just as easily replace.

"Let's go, Totodile."  
The water type followed behind in the open. In all the commotion of almost getting caught, he forgot to snatch the Pokeball that held it. Now it was left walking, stopping every now and then to catch its breath. Silver didn't stop, though. If Totodile couldn't keep up, it wasn't worthy of traveling with him. Luckily it did; even sprinting ahead to get a quick drink from a nearby ocean.

Silver stopped as well and looked at the open sea. There was a single island just visible from the shore with palm trees shooting up to the sky. He thought people would at least be out enjoying the day. The sun was shining, sea breeze filled the air. Instead it was pretty quiet, which is common in a small city.  
He knelt down, picked up a handful of sand, and let it fall back between his fingers. His Pokémon ran in and out of the sea, trying to beat the waves. The calmness of it all was new to him. All his life he dealt with the constant stress of his father's negligence, never having the opportunity to enjoy his childhood. He breathed it all in. Without his father around, he finally had a chance to live life.

"That's great, Cyndaquil! One more time!" A familiar girlish voice came from the other side of the shore.  
He turned around and found the same girl from before training the Pokémon she received from Professor Elm.

Lyra was almost unrecognizable without the stupid hat on her head or the ponytails sticking out from under it. Her golden brown hair was loose, blown back by the gentle breeze. She walked barefoot in the sand, revealing her slender legs to him. Her carefree laughter reached his ears and caused him to curse inwardly.

_Don't think of her like that. She knows what you look like and can easily turn you in to the police._ He scolded himself.  
In all his thinking, he lost track of Totodile.

"Toto-totodile!"  
He looked around, and sure enough, it wandered over to the enemy's side of the beach.

"That little—" Silver began marching towards them, fuming at its disobedience.

As he approached them, those thoughts came rushing back. The sun was setting behind her, hair being blown to the side as she made eye contact with him. For the first time he caught a glimpse of them. They were the same color as her hair, only glowing with the reflecting sun off the water's surface. Her sleeves were bunched up around her biceps as she held his Pokémon in her arms.  
"I was right. You are a new trainer." She said once he was close enough.

Silver frowned at her attempts to be friendly. Despite the deathly stare he gave her, she kept smiling.  
"He's an adorable little guy." She said about Totodile while gently patting his head. And he just looked up at her and laughed.

"Get over here...now." He snarled.  
The blue Pokémon lowered its head as she put him down. Slowly, he made his way back to Silver.

"That's not the way to treat Pokémon." Her cheery demeanor immediately changed. She placed a hand on her hips. The other ran through her hair, pulling strands back from her eyes.

"I don't care what you think. Pokémon are for power. The weak get left behind and only the strongest survive."  
"They are our friends." As she said that, her Cyndaquil came to her side. "We care for them and love them."  
"Do you want to put that to the test?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"A battle. My strength against your so called 'love'."  
"Fine. I'll show you how to win with your friends. Ready, Cyndaquil?"  
"Quiiilll!" The tiny marsupial's back ignited at the command of its trainer.

"Totodile!" His partner reluctantly stepped forward.  
Though the sun was setting, beads of sweat began rolling down his face. There was wind but it did little to reduce the heat. To avoid any distractions, he unzipped his jacket and let it fall to his side.

"I'll show you what power can do. Totodile use Water Gun!"  
And so the fight began. Cyndaquil dodged the jets of water, countering with its quick speed and landing timely hits.  
"Good job, Cyndaquil! Keep it up!" She yelled on the other side.  
"Damn it, Totodile. Get it together!" He yelled the opposite of her encouragement. He didn't want to lose, and by the way Totodile's attacks kept missing, he was sure the match was heading in that direction.

"Alright Cyndaquil, use Tackle!" She instructed.  
Totodile's misses had exhausted the poor Pokémon to the point where it closed its eyes to rest. In the end, it was speed that brought defeat. It had no way of dodging the enemy's attack and took a direct hit that send it flying backwards.

It tried to get up without instruction from Silver, but it was far too weak to move. Still, seeing it wanting to fight kept him from just walking away.  
He walked to the fallen Pokémon and picked it up without a word to Lyra. She remained quiet as well, only staring at him while he turned away. There was a Pokémon Center not too far from the beach. He started walking that way, fighting the urge to show defeat.

Disappointment, humiliation, just two words that described his current state. The blazing eyes in the mirror stared back, judging and silently torturing his mind.

_You're a failure just like your father.  
_He bent over the sink, shutting his eyes to avoid seeing his broken spirit. "You're wrong..."

There were few instances in which he allowed himself to cry. His mother's passing was the last time that he did. He sure as hell wasn't going to let a single loss affect the way he trained.  
After splashing water on his face, Silver stepped out of the restroom and went to check on Totodile. Down the halls he walked, stopping at a giant window that showed his Pokémon. The blue creature lay on its stomach, resting from the tough battle it had.  
He placed a fist on the glass along with his forehead. Staring at his unconscious partner caused him to dwell on the loss. He had mercilessly beaten a trainer prior to that, but she had more control throughout. They were in sync.

Could what she said be true? Is love really important when it comes to Pokémon? No, it couldn't be true. He wouldn't allow it to be true. When you start thinking about feelings, you lose focus. That's exactly what happened. She distracted him with words of kindness and it threw him off. Although there was a flash of anger that had her pink in the cheeks, her pretty face wasn't made for those types of emotions.

_There you go again. That is exactly why you lost.  
_He was getting tired of his inner voice criticizing every thought he had. Sure, there was truth to what it said, but all the negativity couldn't be good for him either. So what if he thought she was pretty, he was a man after all.

"Silver..."  
He froze at the sound of his name being uttered. Nobody around knew who he was. He didn't even say his name to the nurse when he first arrived.

He slowly turned to his right, immediately regretting doing so.

Lyra stood facing him, clutching his weather-beaten jacket. "You left your jacket behind. I thought I'd bring it to you."  
She was back in her normal attire, stupid hat and all. Her hair remained loose underneath, though.  
"How did you know my name?" He asked.  
She momentarily averted his menacing gaze by dropping her head.

"Your trainer card fell out of the pocket." The way she said it made him think it was a lie.  
It didn't matter. He was exhausted by the day's events to put up a decent fight. And with no Pokémon to battle, he simply grabbed his coat from her extended hand without saying a thing.  
They stood side by side watching Totodile sleep soundly. He had no idea why she stayed. He already had his jacket and there was no other reason he could think of that warranted her company.

"I'm sorry..." Her whispers couldn't hide the quivering of her bottom lip he saw out of the corner of his eye.  
Silver was once again baffled by her actions. He was ruthless when it came to battling and never showed remorse for the damage he caused the competition. Lyra, on the other hand, showed empathy for them. She was crying over an opponent's Pokémon and even apologizing. That just proved how different they were. It angered him to witness her pity towards him, but he didn't say anything. Responding would escalate a problem he just wanted to disappear.

She left a few minutes later to return back to the lab. He would leave just as soon as Totodile was healthy enough to walk. As it turned out, it wasn't until the middle of the night. The nurse offered him a room for the night, but he declined and instead chose to leave.  
Silence of the night always soothed him. The shadows around him didn't affect him the way it did weaker beings. He practically was a shadow the way he traveled from city to city in darkness, and disappearing during the day to avoid being seen.

"Hope you rested well," Silver said to the creature as they prepared to leave the city. "Because we are going to train until the sun comes up."  
The loss to Lyra was still fresh on his mind. "Next time we see each other, I'll be damned if I lose twice."

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**Don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

_**I Do Not Own Pokemon or the characters involved**_

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**The Calm before the Storm**

"That's three so far." Silver spun a Pokéball on the tip of his finger.  
He made it out of Union Cave having caught a feisty Zubat and beaten a bunch of weak trainers along the way. Gray clouds gathered as he walked along the road, not allowing the sun to peek through. It surely wouldn't be long until the rain started pouring.

"Two weeks and still no sign of Team Rocket. Maybe they really have disbanded." He mused aloud.  
The walk into Azalea Town continued down the humid road, raindrops beginning to fall. Croconaw, the newly evolved form of Totodile, enjoyed the weather more than he.

"You may look ferocious, but I swear you still have the mind of a Totodile." He said to the gleeful Pokémon running in circles ahead of him.  
It tilted its head back, opening its jaws wide to catch the drops.

Silver kept walking, letting them fall onto his head and jacket without doing anything to cover himself. He stopped when he saw his partner sniffing around a bush. As he approached it, he saw a pair of legs stretched out, white socks disappearing up behind the shrub.  
"Croconaw, what's behi—" he stopped short once he saw a familiar hat drooped to the side, revealing an unconscious Lyra lying against a giant rock.  
"The fuck happened to her?" He asked while looking around for any signs of what may have happened. There were no footprints, only pieces of broken branches around her. All he found was a curled up Quilava in the same state as its trainer.

"Come on..." He quietly commanded.  
Croconaw stayed where it was, looking worried about the wellbeing of a fainted trainer.  
"I'm not telling you again. Let's go."  
The Big Jaw Pokémon planted its stubby legs and growled as if to say, "_I'm not leaving without helping_."

"You dare disobey me?" Silver's temper began to rise.  
As much as he wanted to leave, Croconaw was the strongest Pokémon he had. He caught a Gastly back in Sprout Tower that was still learning new attacks. Zubat was freshly caught so knowing what it was capable of would take a while. Without a true number one, the road ahead would become harder.

"Dammit, fine. Take Quilava and I'll get the girl." He said, leaning down to examine Lyra more closely.  
Her hands and clothes were caked in dirt, arms covered in bright red scratches.  
"Those scratches look fresh. Whoever did this may still be around."

He picked her up with ease and headed off to the nearest Pokémon Center.

The rain was pouring now. Visibility was at a minimum with the mist starting up. He had no clue how far the town was or how long the storm would last. Either way, he needed to find some sort of shelter. Night would arrive soon and then it would be impossible to travel.

"I know," he slowed down and carefully reached into his jacket, "Zubat, go find an open cave!" He ordered as the white light revealed the flying bat.  
It flew off into the woods while he and Croconaw waited under outstretched limbs of the giant trees that bordered the road.

"Nghh..." She was regaining consciousness, albeit slowly and still rather weak.

Whatever attacked her really did some damage not just to her, but to her Pokémon also.

"Hurry up you stupid bat." He growled under his breath.

A short while later, he heard a series of screeches and flapping of wings in the midst of the downpour.

"Did you find anything?"  
It hissed a response and turned around to lead the way. They turned a corner and found the gaping hole of the cave.  
"About time." Silver followed close behind with Lyra cradled in his arms. Croconaw carried her partner on its back and raced ahead.

He gently set her on the rocky floor once they escaped the fury of Mother Nature. Winds whipped inside the cave causing the temperature to lower. Darkness was another problem he faced. The only source of light was that of lightning bolts striking the earth. It felt like a bunch of electric Pokémon gathered and were releasing tons of energy. Who knows, maybe some were.

He couldn't dwell much on that. A fire was needed or else they would freeze. He gathered loose sticks that were scattered on the floor and tried to light it. No matches or a fire Pokémon on hand made the task difficult.  
"Too bad that weakling's knocked out." He said about Lyra's Quilava.

He picked up two stones and tried to spark the pit he made.  
"Come on, Silver. If a fucking Camper can do it, you can too." He cursed himself after three unsuccessful attempts.  
One more try was all it took. The sparks lit a small portion of the pit that he blew on to grow the flame.  
"There you go."

He placed his jacket next to the fire to dry it out. Both of them were drenched but he wouldn't dare lay a hand on Lyra. He was still upset that he was sidetracked by her presence. She was close enough to the fire that it warmed her up without burning her. The only thing he could do was take off her soaking hat so she wouldn't catch a cold. Wet strands of hair clung to her forehead. He grabbed her golden satchel and put it underneath her head to act as a pillow. Her breathing sounded normal, which meant she must be resting.

Sleep was creeping up on him as well. Hunger and non-stop traveling was getting the better of him and his Pokémon. Croconaw was already asleep by the fire next to its supposed rival.

"Sometimes...I can't figure us out."  
Yawning silently, Silver went to the opposite side of the fire, fell to the floor and on his back. He stared blankly at the ceiling of the chilly cave. Being nice made him uncomfortable, yet there was something about her that forced him to do those types of things. It didn't help that his Pokémon took her side. Whatever it was, he didn't want to be around to find out.  
He closed his eyes, finally succumbing to sleep like he heard a Jigglypuff's lullaby.

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**A/N: I know it's a little slow right now, we're still in the early chapters. A ton of action coming up so look for that soon. R&R and enjoy your day.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ask and You Shall Receive **

_He ran down the dimly lit hallway and into the office, excited to show off a project he had been working on. His father sat forward against the wooden desk and looked displeased with whoever he talked to on the phone. His snarled scowl greeted the young, red-haired boy as he stopped in front of the desk._

_"Dad, look what I made!" _

_"You idiots! What do you mean it's been stolen?" His father pounded on the desk in anger. "That is a necessary piece of technology. Don't make me get it back myself."_

_"Dad?" He held up the piece of paper in front of him, desperately trying to hide the fear in his voice.  
Once his father's temper rose, he would lash out at whoever stood in his way. Ever since coming back from Silph Co. out in Kanto, he was extremely short with anything that went wrong. The first to feel his wrath was usually the young boy._

_"Not now, Silver. I'm busy." He swiveled his chair around, ignoring Silver's cries for attention.  
Fighting back wasn't an option. His father had become distant with his empire taking high priority over him. He left his father's office hanging his head, carrying the picture he drew of himself in a Team Rocket uniform standing next to his dad._

_At times like this he'd run off to his mom, but she was gone. A freak car accident involving a rival criminal group took her to the heavens. Possibly another reason why his father threw himself into his work. He didn't have anybody but his dad, and even he didn't want to be around.  
Silver looked at the picture in disgust, shredding it into pieces and tossing it to the side. If he didn't want to be involved in his life, it was fine. Lots of boys grew up not knowing their dads. He would just have to find his own way.  
He stepped over the pile of the shredded paper and dug both hands into his pants. The family he once knew disappeared along with the childhood he never had._

* * *

Light crept up on his sleeping face. Except for the chirping outside, it remained quiet inside the cave. Too quiet...  
There wasn't a sound of breathing, aside from his own, or the usual snoring of his Croconaw. He jerked straight up and found his jacket draped over him. Lyra was nowhere to be seen, nor were any of his Pokémon. The fire extinguished itself overnight, leaving ashes of the sticks in its center.  
He wanted to leave before she woke up, but she must have healed sooner than expected. Figures that his Pokémon followed wherever she went. They weren't disciplined enough as of yet. But that would change once they got back.

He stood at the mouth of the cave, peering back and forth across the field of trees. Puddles formed in separate spots on the ground. Branches swayed back and forth with leaves gliding midair and falling to the floor. The air was fresh as it normally was after a storm.  
"_He's probably awake by now. We shouldn't keep him waiting_." He heard Lyra somewhere off in the distance.  
Not knowing much about her, and why she was nice all the time, confused him beyond comprehension. The couple of times they've crossed paths she was happy, always smiling. When he's around her tune changed. She still tries to be friendly but in the end she ends up frustrated. Even though he wouldn't admit it, Silver got a kick out of making her mad.

From behind a row of trees, Lyra and the Pokémon emerged carrying handfuls of berries. A Furret was at the forefront leading the way. Zubat flew alongside and landed on his shoulder.  
"Hope you're hungry. These berries are fresh off the trees." She said as they made their way back to the cave.  
His tinted red eyes glared at her without speaking. There was no point in arguing. He hadn't eaten a decent meal since they left Sprout Tower days ago. The berries in her hands did look plump and delicious.  
"You can give me the stink eye all you want, but your Pokémon have been eating all the way back and I know you must be starving, too." She moved a few inches to where he stood, holding a giant blue Oran Berry out to him.  
"Whatever." Silver snatched it from her hand and turned around. Her amused smirk followed him as he headed back to where they slept.

They sat at opposite ends, avoiding eye contact while they ate their food. She tossed three berries in the direction of her Furret and each one landed in its mouth. He looked over at his Croconaw and saw him gulp an armful of berries into its giant jaws.  
She would occasionally look at her scratches and light bruises that set in overnight.  
As much as he didn't want to talk to her, curiosity got the best of him. "How'd you end up on the side of the road?"  
Lyra appeared genuinely surprised that he was talking to her. She swallowed her food before answering back. "I don't remember much. I was just outside of Azalea Town training, when I saw a guy standing alone. Next thing I know, smoke enveloped me and I blacked out."

He found her story rather odd. Why would somebody stand around doing nothing, and simply attack her?  
"He wore all black," she continued, "and he had a big 'R' on his shirt in red." She demonstrated by drawing an air circle on her own.  
That peaked his interest. He knew of only one group that had a signature 'R' on their clothing. "And you said he was in Azalea Town?"  
"He was on the outskirts of town by the well. Do you know who he is?"

He looked away not wanting to say much more. This was his personal vendetta and telling her would just mean getting in the way.  
"Silver, if you know him we have to tell the poli-" she stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth like she said a swear.  
He tensed up at the mention of law enforcement. Before leaving Violet City, he stopped at a Pokémon Center and saw an announcement on a news bulletin board. There was a police report that mentioned his heist way back in New Bark Town. It didn't say his name but described him very well.  
Lyra must have seen the same report and made the connection between the two. Yet another reason to leave.

"Zubat, return." He grabbed the Pokéball from his pocket and aimed it at the bat hanging upside down on stalactite forming on the ceiling.  
He stood up, put on his coat, and grabbed a few berries for the road.  
"Let's go, Croconaw."  
The scaly Pokémon followed orders and came to his side, waving goodbye to Lyra before they left. Azalea Town wasn't that far off. He could be there in an hour or so unless he was sidetracked.  
"Silver, wait!" She came running out, fumbling with her hat as she tried to put it on. "I never…I mean…I just want..."  
Her stuttering was annoying him, mostly because he needed to leave right away.  
"Can you hurry up?" He stared down at her, running a single hand through his flaming hair.

"Thank you…" She managed to mumble. The innocence in her hazel eyes threw him off, and for a split second, he felt somewhat guilty for acting like a jerk.  
He didn't know how to respond. He never had somebody thank him because he never did anything to help. One display of compassion and it was already haunting him.

There was only one way he knew how to act. "Whatever, just don't get in my way."  
Nothing more than that. He brushed right past her and headed to Azalea Town. Team Rocket finally made an appearance, thankfully sooner rather than later. Nothing was going to stop him from getting answers. By any means necessary, he would find the whereabouts of the mastermind behind Team Rocket and confront him.

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**A/N: If you guys haven't already, check my profile page for updates and notes on what's going with my stories. R&R and enjoy your day.**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Rage Within  
**Shadows began creeping in over the large mountain behind him. The clouds gave way to an orange sunset after the long storm the night before. A small gust of wind picked up leaves that had fallen and carried them forward.  
_"This is so damn boring. Why did I get stuck with guard duty?"_

Silver crouched behind thick shrubs east of the well. Like Lyra had said, there was a single Rocket member guarding the entrance, and from the looks of it, there were probably more down in the well.  
_"A fucking rookie should be doing this pathetic job."_ The guard cursed into the wind.  
Silver watched as he lit a match and raised it to the waiting cigarette in his mouth.  
_"Proton sure as hell better pay me extra for this_." He exhaled several puffs of smoke.

He waited until the grunt turned around to make his move. Making sure to keep noise levels down, he crossed the open field and jumped into the ditch that held the well. He pressed up against the dirt wall and tried to hear the sounds of the grunt.  
"_Keep walking, old man. This doesn't concern you. Hey—get off me!"_

Silver crouched in the corner as the Grunt was pushed backwards towards the opening.  
"_Leave the Slowpokes alone!"_ The old man lunged at the Grunt and both fell into the well; their screams echoing loudly to the outside.

Silver dashed to the entrance and inspected the dim, broad opening.  
"_Fuck...my back..._" He heard somebody screaming in pain at the very bottom.  
He whipped his head from side to side, checking to see if there were more coming, before jumping on the ladder and sliding to the bottom.

"Who's there? Can you help me?" It was too dark to see what was in front of him. He took tentative steps forward, keeping a hand on the walls of the well to guide him.  
"There's an opening just ahead. If you won't help me, help the Pokemon."  
Silver ignored the last part. He kept walking until he saw a small glimmer of light just a few feet in front of him.

_"Moron! Did anybody else follow you?"  
"No, Proton, sir. He was the only one."_  
He peeped around the corner, eavesdropping on the five or so Team Rocket members in a circle. Tons of dark liquid came trickling down the rocky ground as it traveled past his hiding spot.

_"Alright. Go make sure he doesn't interfere. The rest of you, let's hurry up with those tails before the police come snooping around."  
"Yes, sir!"_

Silver straightened up and ran back to where the old man was still down. There were plenty of options he had. He could either run away like a coward, or stay and fight his way through. But running wasn't in his nature.  
"Hello?"  
"Shut up, he's coming back." Silver hissed. "Can you move yet?"  
"Not a lot."

The scraping of rocks underneath feet became louder with every second. _"Okay gramps, it's payback time."_ The hollow rock walls amplified his voice tenfold.  
"Get out of here, kid. These guys are dangerous." The old man whispered.

Silver once again ignored him and crouched by the wood ladder that led to the outside. No light made its way inside and vice versa.  
_"I'll teach you to mess with Team Rocket."_ A faint glow reached their spot, stopping in front of the elderly man.  
"You did get me good, I'll give you that," he lowered the flashlight to the man's face, "But this is where you meet your end." He reached into his waistband and pulled out a metallic object.

The clicking sound made Silver act immediately. He rushed the Grunt, pushing him towards the wall and knocking both objects out of his hand. "What the fuck?!" He screamed out.  
Silver elbowed the taller Grunt in the stomach, eliciting a pained groan from him. Once hunched over, he grabbed the sides of his head and bashed it against the jagged wall behind him. The sheer violence he never knew he possessed escaped his soul and took over. With each blow he undid years of frustration pent up from his childhood.

It wasn't until his fingers felt wet that he stopped. He let the unconscious man fall as his mind cleared up. His entire body shook, knees buckled underneath him. His breath came in short spurts and his insides burned with the desire for more.

"If you're done over there, how about helping me up?" The old man cried out.  
Silver shook his head, trying to rid himself of the overwhelming emotions that consumed him. He grabbed both the flashlight and gun that fell inches away from them. He pointed the light in front of him, exposing the damage done. Then back at the old man who was on his stomach looking up.  
"I don't know who you are," he started to say as Silver walked over, "But that there wasn't kid stuff."  
"I'm not a kid. Not anymore."

The old man groaned in pain once Silver grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet.  
"I'm no help to you in this state." He placed both hands on his lower back, arching backwards to stretch out the knotted muscles.  
"I don't need help. If you know what's good for you," Silver turned towards the dripping hall that led to his next destination, "Climb that ladder and leave it to me."  
He was done playing around. His thirst for revenge remained untapped but there was a room full of Rockets that would surely quench it.


End file.
